ITP V.014 THE MUSIC BUSINESS: EARACHE RECORDS SUES CENTURY MEDIA FAMILY

COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE is reporting UK based indie extreme metal label EARACHE RECORDS is suing CENTURY MEDIA FAMILY (NYC, NY) claiming the U.S. distributor owes it     $250, 000 in licensing fees and neglected to release a catalog of hundreds of records, breaching a 1/2013 contract to market and distribute EARACHE releases in NORTH AMERICA.

EARACHE RECORDS claims CENTURY MEDIA FAMILY failed in its obligation as out of 356 releases delivered, only 13 were released.

FROM COURTHOUSE NEWS:
   "Without each album being released in the U.S. during the term of the agreement, it is impossible for Earache Records to earn royalties in the U.S. market (in this case, for several years), and fulfill its obligations to its artists," the 17-page lawsuit states. (Parentheses in complaint.)
     To duck two advance payments of $125,000, Century Family's lawyers sent the British label a letter that falsely accused it of breaching the licensing agreement, the complaint states. Earache calls that a "transparent pretext" for delaying payment.
     As well as defaulting on the fees, Century Family allegedly used album artwork and set release dates without Earache's approval. The U.S. company failed to account for royalties in a timely manner, Earache adds.
     Earache says Century Family is still marketing and selling Earache's records in the U.S. market.

http://www.entlawdigest.com/2014/03/27/3043.htm

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-